Scientist
Dr. Irina Brich
Dr. Irina Brich
At the IWM, Irina Brich works as a research associate in the section Research-based Transfer on the Use of Digital Media in Education in the e-teaching-Transfer lab. She belongs to the editorial team of the future space (Zukunftsraum), which is part of the science communication of the transfer office of the BMBF-funded Kompetenzverbund lernen:digital. The future space paints visions of innovative digital transformation in school education and promotes the dialog between science and practice. In 2014, Irina Brich started at the IWM as a research associate and doctoral student in the Knowledge Exchange lab and was working as a Postdoc in the Perception and Action lab from 2020 to 2023.
Irina Brich graduated at the Eberhard-Karls-University of Tübingen (M.Sc. 2014) with a focus on business psychology as well as knowledge, communication, and media psychology. She finished her dissertation on tailoring the interaction of human and technology to our cognitive architecture to support information processing at the University of Tübingen and the IWM in July 2020.
Main research topics:
- Comprehension processes in visual narratives like comics, with a special interest in influencing factors like education and age
- Perception of risk in the interaction with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence
- Information processing, cognitive offloading, and embodiment in the interaction with innovative technologies (e.g., multi-touch tables)
Dr. Irina Brich
Schleichstr. 6
72072 Tübingen
Room 8.406
+49 7071 979-225i.brich@iwm-tuebingen.deLab membership
Projects
Projects with a current term and projects that have taken place in the last 5 years are shown.
Traces in video portals: The potential of user generated data for the design of effective educational videos
Perception and Action lab
Duration 01/2020 - open
Go to ProjectFuture space – Kompetenzverbund lernen:digital
e-teaching Transfer lab
Duration 02/2023 - 06/2026
Go to Project
Publications
Articles (peer-reviewed)
- Huff, M.*, Gagarina, N., Varkentin, E., & Brich, I. R.* (2025). Education, not age, linked to narrative comprehension. Learning and Instruction, 97, 102102. *shared first authorship. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2025.102102
Open AccessPreregistrationDataStudy materialCode
- Varkentin, E., Brich, I. R., Sünkel, U., von Thaler, A. K., Eschweiler, G. W., & Huff, M. (2025). Inference generation in older adults: Comparing pictorial and textual comprehension in the context of cognitive decline. Memory & Cognition. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13421-025-01736-7
- Brich, I. R., Papenmeier, F., Huff, M., & Merkt, M. (2024). Construction or updating? Event model processes during visual narrative comprehension. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 31(5), 2092–2101. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-023-02424-w
- Said, N., Potinteu, A.-E., Brich, I. R., Buder, J., Schumm, H., & Huff, M. (2023). An artificial intelligence perspective: How knowledge and confidence shape risk and benefit perception. Computers in Human Behavior, 149, Article 107855. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2023.107855
- Schwesig, R.*, Brich, I. R., Buder, J., Huff, M., & Said, N.* (2023). Using Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Risk and opportunity perception of AI predict people’s willingness to use AI. Journal of Risk Research, 26(10), 1053-1084. *shared first authorship. https://doi.org/10.1080/13669877.2023.2249927
- Brich, I. R., Bause, I. M., Hesse, F. W., & Wesslein, A.-K. (2021). How spatial information structuring in an interactive technological environment affects decision performance under working memory load. Computers in Human Behavior, 123, Article 106860. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.106860
- Bause, I. M., Brich, I. R., Hesse, F. W., & Wesslein, A.-K. (2020). Does touching information on a surface tablet affect how it is evaluated. Journal of Articles in Support of the Null-Hypothesis, 16(2), 127-146. https://www.jasnh.com/pdf/Vol16-No2-article5.pdf
- Brich, I. R., Bause, I. M., Hesse, F. W., & Wesslein, A.-K. (2019). Working memory affine technological support functions improve decision performance. Computers in Human Behavior, 92, 238-249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.11.014
- Huff, M., Maurer, A. E., Brich, I. R., Pagenkopf, A., Wickelmaier, F., & Papenmeier, F. (2018). Construction and updating of event models in auditory event processing. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 44, 307-320. https://doi.org/10.1037/xlm0000482
- Bause, I. M., Brich, I. R., Wesslein, A.-K., & Hesse, F. W. (2018). Using technological functions on a multi-touch table and their affordances to counteract biases and foster collaborative problem solving. International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, 13(1), 7-33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11412-018-9271-4
Research data
- Brich, I. R., Gagarina, N., Varkentin, E., & Huff, M. (2025). Education, not age, linked to narrative comprehension [Data set]. https://osf.io/hdzxv/
- Brich, I. R., Papenmeier, F., Huff, M., & Merkt, M. (2023). Dataset for: Construction or updating? Event model processes during visual narrative comprehension [Data set]. https://osf.io/zjwe5/
- Varkentin, E., Brich, I. R., Kurmanbekova, K., & Huff, M. (2023). Stress induction in young and elderly samples. https://osf.io/r7e5z/
- Brich, I. R., Bause, I. M., Hesse, F. W., & Wesslein, A.-K. (2021). How spatial information structuring in an interactive technological environment affects decision performance under working memory load. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/AVTE8
Other publications
- Varkentin, E., Brich, I. R., Popova, M., Mock, P., & Huff, M. (2025). Does stress matter? No evidence for age differences in inference generation under acute stress. OSF. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/hsbpd_v1
- Brich, I. R., Gebhardt, M., & Barth, D. (2025). Spielt es für das Verinnerlichen von Inhalten eine Rolle, welche (digitalen) Notizwerkzeuge ich verwende? Zukunftsraum lernen:digital. https://lernen.digital/fragen-an-die-zukunft-der-bildung/digitale-notizwerkzeuge-und-lernen/
- Varkentin, E., Brich, I. R., Kurmanbekova, K., & Huff, M. (2024). Acute stress impairs visual narrative comprehension in younger but not older adults. osf. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/2bvms
- Varkentin, E., Brich, I. R., Sünkel, U., von Thaler, A. K., Eschweiler, G. W., & Huff, M. (2024). Stability of inference generation in older adults: The pictorial advantage and resilience to cognitive decline. osf. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/knpv5
View preprintPreregistration 1 | 2 DataCode
- Brich, I. R., & Winter, L. (2024). Was ist eigentlich der Digital Divide im Schulkontext? Zukunftsraum lernen:digital. https://lernen.digital/fragen-an-die-zukunft-der-bildung/was-ist-eigentlich-der-digital-divide-im-schulkontext/
Presentations und Conferences
Talks
- Varkentin, E., Brich, I. R., Kurmanbekova, K., & Huff, M. (2025, April 7-9). Visual narrative comprehension in the context of aging and stress. Doctoral symposium - Context in Cognition. Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen. [Talk]
- Papenmeier, F., Brich, I. R., Huff, M., & Merkt, M. (2024, June 27-28). Construction or updating? Event model processes during visual narrative comprehension. Visual Language (VisLang) Conference 2024. Tilburg University, Netherlands. [Talk]
- Huff, M., Gagarina, N., Varkentin, E., & Brich, I. R. (2024, November 21-24). Education, not age, linked to narrative comprehension. 65th Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society. New York City, NY, USA. http://www.psychonomic.org/page/2024annualmeeting [Talk]
- Varkentin, E., Brich, I. R., Sünkel, U., von Thaler, A. K., Eschweiler, G. W., & Huff, M. (2024, June 27-28). Stability of narrative comprehension across age and education: The pictorial advantage and resilience to cognitive decline in older adults. Visual Language (VisLang) Conference 2024. Tilburg University, Netherlands. [Talk]
- Varkentin, E., Brich, I. R., Kurmanbekova, K., & Huff, M. (2024, March 17-20). The role of acute stress in narrative comprehension across age groups. 66. Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psycholog:innen (TeaP) - Conference of Experimental Psychologists. Universität Regensburg. [Talk]
- Said, N., Burkhardt, L., Plötz, L., Brich, I. R., & Antes, N. (2024, May 8). Understanding sharing behavior on social media platforms. Universität Jena. [Invited Talk]
- Brich, I. R., Schenk, A., Papenmeier, F., & Huff, M. (2023, March 26-29). Text in comics: Cross-codal information integration during visual narrative comprehension. 65th Conference of Experimental Psychologists (TeaP). University of Trier. [Talk]
- Said, N., Brich, I. R., & Antes, N. (2023, March 26-29). Understanding sharing behavior on social media platforms - the influence of knowledge and confidence. 65th Conference of Experimental Psychologists (TeaP). University of Trier. [Talk]
- Brich, I. R., Varkentin, E., Gagarina, N., & Huff, M. (2022, März 30). Digitale Comics als Weg zur Teilhabe – Narrationsverstehen in verschiedenen Alters- und Bildungsgruppen. Jahrestagung Leibniz-Forschungsverbund Bildungspotenziale (LERN). Frankfurt am Main (virtuelle Konferenz). [Talk]
- Said, N., Schwesig, R., Brich, I. R., Buder, J., & Huff, M. (2022, March 20-23). Knowledge about Artificial Intelligence (AI) moderates the relationship between risk and opportunity perception of AI and people's willingness to use AI-based applications. Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psychologen (TeaP) 2022 - 64th Conference of Experimental Psychologists. University of Cologne (online conference). [Talk]
- Said, N., Brich, I. R., & Antes, N. (2022, October 7-8). Understanding sharing behavior on social media platforms: The influence of knowledge and confidence. Autumn Meeting of Experimental Cognitive Psychologists (HexKoP). Greifswald. [Talk]
- Brich, I. R., Henner, J., Papenmeier, F., & Huff, M. (2021, March 14-16). Cross-codal information integration in narrative comprehension occurs immediately upon encounter. Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psychologen (TeaP) 2021 - 63th Conference of Experimental Psychologists. Ulm. [Talk]
- Brich, I. R., Varkentin, E., Gagarina, N., & Huff, M. (2021, November 1-3). Do education and age influence visual narrative comprehension processes? (A representative study). MODE 2021: Methods of Online Discourse Elicitation Conference (Text & Tea with LITMUS-MAIN Meeting). Berlin. [Talk]
- Bause, I. M., Brich, I. R., Wesslein, A.-K., & Hesse, F. W. (2018, April). Intuitive Use of Technological-Support-Kit Fosters Problem-Solving Processes in Human-to-Human Collaboration. National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) 2018 Annual Meeting. New York, NY, USA. [Talk]
- Bause, I. M., Brich, I. R., Wesslein, A.-K., & Hesse, F. W. (2017, March). Developing a paradigm to purely measure favorism of preference-consistent information. Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psychologen (TeaP) 2017 - 59th Conference of Experimental Psychologists. Dresden. [Talk]
- Brich, I. R., Bause, I. M., Wesslein, A.-K., & Hesse, F. W. (2017, March). Raising Hidden Profile Solution Rate by Supporting Working Memory Processes with Touch Technology. Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psychologen (TeaP) 2017 - 59th Conference of Experimental Psychologists. Dresden. [Talk]
- Huff, M., Maurer, A. E., Brich, I. R., & Pagenkopf, A. (2016, September). Wahrnehmung dynamischer auditiver Ereignisse: Wie Menschen Hörspiele segmentieren und erinnern. 50. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGPs). Leipzig. [Talk]
- Maurer, A. E., Brich, I. R., & Huff, M. (2015, September). Perceiving and remembering audio dramas. 9th Conference of the DGPs Media Psychology Division. Tübingen. [Talk]
Poster presentations
- Varkentin, E., Brich, I. R., Kurmanbekova, K., & Huff, M. (2025, April 7-9). Visual narrative comprehension in the context of aging and stress. Doctoral symposium - Context in Cognition. Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen. [Poster presentation]
- Brich, I. R., Gebhardt, M., Irle, G., Nieder-Steinheuer, K., & Schilling, T. (2025, May 22-23). schule-mal-digital.de – Transfer durch Austausch und Information gestalten. MINT-ProNeD-Verbundtreffen. Tübingen. [Poster presentation]
- Gebhardt, M., Brich, I. R., & Irle, G. (2024, September 30-October 2). Frag den Zukunftsraum! Digitale Transformation für Schule und Lehrkräftebildung gestalten. Universität Potsdam. https://lernen.digital/veranstaltungen/tagung-digitale-transformation-fuer-schule-und-lehrkraeftebildung-gestalten/ [Poster presentation]
- Brich, I. R., Irle, G., Gebhardt, M., Nieder-Steinheuer, K., & Schilling, T. (2024, June 21). Frag den Zukunftsraum! Eure Fragen an die Zukunft der digitalen Schulbildung. 2. KI-Fachtag. Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien, Tübingen. [Poster presentation]
- Said, N., Brich, I. R., Buder, J., & Huff, M. (2021, November 4-7). Metacognitive insight into artificial intelligence knowledge predicts AI risk/opportunity perception. 62nd Annual Meeting Psychonomics Society 2021 (Psychonomics2021). New Orleans, LA, USA. [Poster Presentation]
- Bause, I. M., Brich, I. R., Müller, T., Probst, L.-M., Rahn, J., Schweitzer, J., & Wesslein, A.-K. (2018, October). Turn the tables: An exploratory field study in higher education. Fachtagung IWM #LearnMap zum Thema “Lernprozess im Fokus: Forschung zu digitalen Medien in der Hochschullehre”. Tübingen. [Poster Presentation]
Other conference contributions
- Brich, I. R., & Gebhardt, M. (2024, April 24-25). Schüler:innen im Fokus: Gemeinsam eine chancengerechte digitale Zukunft gestalten. 8. Konferenz Bildung Digitalisierung (KonfBD), Berlin. https://www.forumbd.de/veranstaltungen/konfbd24/. [Meet-Up Session]
Event organisation
- Pardi, G., Brucker, B., Ziegs, T., Nieder-Steinheuer, K., Brich, I. R., Halfmann, M., & Gerjets, P. (2023, Juli 24). MINT-ProNeD-Workshop „Willkommen im Future Innovation Hub – Einblicke in Technologien der Zukunft im MINT-Unterricht“. Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien, Tübingen. [Workshop Organisation]
- Hoppe, A., Yu, R., Brich, I. R., & Liu, J. (2021, November 1). Second International Workshop on Learning During Web Search (IWILDS’21). 30th ACM International Conference on Information and Knowledge Management (CIKM ’21). [Workshop Organisation]
CV